Rainbowfish, or Blue-Eyes, are members of the Melanotaeniidae family, and they are found in northern and eastern Australia and New Guinea and in the Southeast Asian Islands.

The dominant Rainbowfish genus and its many species derive their generic name Melanotaenia from the Ancient Greek Melano (=black) and taenia (=banded). Translated, it means "black-banded" and is a reference to the often striking lateral black bands that run along the bodies of those in the Melanotaenia genus.